SEO: It's not just about showing up

New research highlights that, for brands and retailers to succeed, it is not just about showing up in search results, but how they show up.

For many consumers, a search result may be the first time they encounter a retailer or brand and, suggests new research from SearchDex, that first impression counts. More than half (58%) of the 2,000 U.S. consumers surveyed for the research said they used a search engine when looking for their next purchase. More than a quarter (27%) use search engines to read product reviews while for 32% they begin their online shopping efforts in search.

According to Dave Chaplin, CEO of SearchDex, "if that brand or retailer comes up in an irrelevant search, the relationship has already been damaged".

In fact, 31% of those surveyed said that misleading search results would make them less likely to buy from a particular website while 31% said they would worry that retailer was a scan. Just over a quarter (27%) said a misleading search would cause them to revert to a more familiar website.

"Winning the SEO game is not about getting in front of the consumer whenever and however possible," said Chaplin, "but about using sophisticated SEO to get in front of consumers who are looking for what you have to offer."

There are some aspects of online search that frustrate consumers, found the research, with the most annoying being targeted ads (39%) followed by outdated search results (21%).